Mumbai: It is not known what would mean the A.K.Patnaik's retirement news to the Indian cricket board's suspended president, N. Srinivasan, but Ananga Kumar Patnaik seemed relaxed when we spoke to him over telephone on his 66th birthday at his Delhi residence on Tuesday.
"Thank you. Yes, you can say I am relieved", he said while accepting the congratulatory message on his birthday. "I am not a great fan of the game", he said when asked whether he would be able to spare some time watching matches now.
"But I used to watch Sunil Gavaskar's batting. He was a solid opening batsman and I was impressed with the way he was batting. I recommended him for the BCCI president post (for IPL matters) because he was an experienced player. His term was only up to the IPL season and since the IPL matches are over now, he has to relinquish his post."
"Regarding Sundar Raman, the decision has to be taken by the concerned authorities", he further added.
According to Patnaik, the new bench to hear BCCI matter would now be decided by Ibrahim Kalifulla. "He is a solid man and will be the senior member of the new bench", he added.
Patnaik refused to take credit for his efforts in trying to restore the image of the game.
He also refused to say whether Srinivasan should be made the ICC chairman.
Srinivasan's last appeal to the fresh vacation bench was not accepted by the Court. "Srini has not contacted us for the fresh appeal, if it is to be freshly filed to the old bench", his lawyer Nageshwar Rai confirmed from Delhi on Tuesday.
Srinivasan was in Delhi on Monday to meet the Union Minister, Arun Jaitley.
